Craig Allen says: ‘Meet Fine Young Cannibals’

While the band "Fine Young Cannibals" formed in the early 1980s, they became synonymous with hit music of the late 1980s!

The band formed in Birmingham England in 1984, consisting of bassist David Steele (who also played keyboards and the synthesizer), guitarist Andy Cox (also on keyboards), and vocalist Roland Lee Gift.

Cox and Steele played together previously in the band "The Beat." They poured over 500 demo cassettes, over eight months, before choosing Roland Gift as their vocalist!

The band name came from the 1960 movie "All The Fine Young Cannibals."

The new band, Fine Young Cannibals, had a hard time securing a record deal...until their song "Johnny Come Home" appeared on British TV.

The band's first album,"Fine Young Cannibals" in 1985, gave them 2 hits in England: "Johnny Come Home."

Plus, a cover version of the Elvis Presley smash hit "Suspicious Minds."

Fine Young Cannibals appeared as the house band in the comedy movie "Tin Men." It was a period piece, set in Baltimore, in 1963. Steele and Cox (as "Two Men, A Drum Machine and A Trumpet") released the instrumental single "Tired Of Getting Pushed Around," in 1988. It was a hit in England, and was popular on the Club/Dance charts here in the U.S.

Fine Young Cannibals' biggest hits came from "The Raw And The Cooked" album, released in 1988.

"She Drives Me Crazy"

and "Good Thing" both went to #1 in 1989!

Loading the FYC CD in one of the the studio CD players... (Craig Allen photo).

"Don't Look Back" went to #11, and "I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" landed at #54 on the Hot 100 charts.

1990 saw the band contributing a cover version of Cole Porter's "Love For Sale" to an album benefiting AIDS research.

Fine Young Cannibals broke up in 1992...however, they reunited briefly in 1996 to record the song "The Flame." This non-charter (in the U.S.) was added to their Greatest Hits CD "The Finest," which came out in 1996.

Roland Gift brought back the band name, and toured in the 2000's, as "Roland Gift and The Fine Young Cannibals."